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The mission of the Department of Public Safety Training & Professional Development Section is to facilitate progressive, effective training in basic law enforcement, firefighting, as well as continuing education, career growth and development of the Department of Public Safety’s employees, utilizing professional and ethical methodology.

The CNMI Department of Public Safety (DPS) is comprised of employees who provide public safety services to the people of the Commonwealth. The Department as a whole and the Training and Professional Development Section's obligation is to invest in our people and provide better services to the community. We accomplish this by providing our employees with training and educational programs designed to gain a return on our investment.

Investing in training and educational programs will reap benefits for the Department and the CNMI citizens alike. An educated work force will last for decades as employees will have developed the policies and strategies that shape public services; more importantly, they will lead the organization by serving as mentors and role models to others, and pass on what they have learned.

Based upon this premise, there are two primary aspects of training provided by the CNMI Department of Public Safety:

1. The Training and Professional Development Section provides basic academy cadet level education for cadet officers interested in pursuing law enforcement or firefighting as a career. Cadets are trained in the sections of patrol, traffic safety, boating safety, criminal investigation or firefighting.

All DPS cadets attend the basic law enforcement or fire academy for not more than six months. Upon graduating, the new officers are assigned a seasoned-experienced officer for field guidance and ease into the work experience. The field internship provides the cadet with substantially more in-depth job specific training necessary for him/her to perform his/her job assignment more professionally and efficiently.

Overall, the academy training encompasses basic law enforcement and firefighting education which provides our employees with entry level knowledge. The academy structure is designed around paramilitary concepts, and the trainees are placed into stressful situations which emulate real life situations as are faced by law enforcement officers and firefighters in the field. Many courses within this basic curriculum are based upon practical scenario based training.

2. The Training and Professional Development Section also offers other educational courses and programs to DPS sworn officers and civilian support staff. These courses are provided by entities, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, U.S. Military, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security, and other law enforcement and firefighting or fire protection agencies from various Federal and State government agencies. Local government agencies also deliver courses that are coordinated by the Training section to improve leadership, morale, teamwork, customer service, skills and individual education enhancement among DPS employees. These trainings are provided by the Office of Personnel Management, Department of Public Health, NorthernMarianasCollege, and the Commonwealth Ports Authority.

The Training section is additionally tasked with providing continuing education for all sworn and civilian employees to progress in their respective field of work. Because of national and local improvements in protocols, procedures, and strategies, the section is tasked with creating the curriculum necessary for the Department to train its personnel to meet national and local standards.